Addictions

By: Amanda Wiegert, LMHC, NCC Most of us have experienced a toxic relationship at some point in our lives. Sometimes it is obvious to see that the relationship is toxic. Other times, they sneak up on us and before we even realize it we are already sucked in. Toxic relationships are dangerous for many reasons. The most harmful effects are

By: Amanda Wiegert, LMHC, NCC In our world today, almost all of us can say that we know someone who is struggling with or has struggled in the past with an addiction. We see it on the news, on social media, and in our own communities. Recently, we learned that singer/songwriter Demi Lovato relapsed after battling with substance abuse and

By Janie Lacy, LMHC If your heart and gut tells you, “This is not how relationships should be” or “This doesn’t feel safe and loving”, you have a sign from your body and higher self that you are not in a loving and healthy relationship. It’s important to trust these warnings from your gut and/or your heart — much more than

By: Colleen Andre, LMHC At this point of your life it has finally dawned on you that you did not have a childhood. Instead, you suffered parentification (a process of a role reversal where a child plays the parent to themselves or to their parent). Having fun and feeling carefree as a kid was not an option for you. The question

By Amanda Wiegert, LMHC, NCC Are you often unable to stop talking, thinking, and worrying about other people and their problems? Do you find yourself rescuing and taking care of other people but neglecting to take care of yourself? Melody Beattie, a well-known author in the area of relationships, once wrote “A codependent person is one who has let another

By: Jessica Lipsy Globally, there is an estimated minimum of 190,000 – in most cases avoidable – premature deaths from drugs, the majority due to the use of opioids. We often focus on the problem, so let’s turn that around and look at a solution. There is one intervention that has been saving lives when it comes to opioid addiction

Halloween: Trick or Drink... I mean treat! If we search Halloween party ideas what do we find? “Drunk Party Ideas” “Best Halloween Cocktails” “Halloween Games with Rules to Get You Wasted”… Here are some facts that don't pop up: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, last year over 43 percent of all motor vehicle deaths involved drunk

By Jessica Lipsy I think we ask ourselves this question because we want answers. We want to get to the root cause of someone’s drinking. Maybe we are hopeful that if we can figure out why they started in the first place and solve that problem then it won’t be an issue all together. Or maybe if we figure out

by Jessica Candelaria Lipsey When is the right time to get clean and sober? Now! Often times when someone starts contemplating stopping or going into treatment they will come up with a list of various reasons why they can’t. We frequently hear things like, “I don’t have time;” “I could loose my job;” “I won’t spend as much time with

By: Jessica Candelaria Lipsey Individuals who have experienced tragic or traumatic events in their life often struggle with self-hatred or intense shame. These core feelings prevent self-love and compassion, ultimatelypostponing healthy, desirable relationships. Furthermore, if someone has experienced trauma and lacks healthy coping skills, they are more likely to use alcohol or other substances to self-medicate. Over 80% of individuals